Vacuum-tube socket



H. E. SHREEVE. VACUUM TUBE SOCKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, ms.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

lM vwvqfm: Mew ke f. Shrweve UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT E. SHREEVE, OF WYOMING, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB. TO WESTERNELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

ieeasce.

Specification of Letters Patent.

vacuum-TUBE sooner.

Application filed May 20, 1916. Serial No. 98,770.

a To all whom it may concern:

Be it'kuown that I, HERBERT E. SHRnEvn, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Wyoming, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum-Tube Sockets, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, andexact description.

This invention relates to a socket for vacuum tubes, and in particularto vacuum tubes such as the audion, in which a plurality of electrodescomes from said tube, and with which electrodes intimate connection mustbe made for various circuits. Its purpose is to construct a socket whichwill be con venient for use and effective in making such contacts as arerequired.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the followingspecification and the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows asocket designed according to this invention in combination with one formof audion tube. Fig. 2 shows a view from below of the socket shown inFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of an element comprising two sockets asone unit, Fig; 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Fig.3, and Fig. 5 is aperspective view of the spring contact element or unit used throughoutFigs. 1 to 4.

Referring inparticular to Fig. 1, 10 repre sents a casting of brass orother suitable metal, of which 11 is the base, and 12 the socket proper,into which socket a vacuum tube with suitable terminals may be inserted,as hereinafter described. Secured to the bottom of the base 11 and atone side is a spring contact unit, such as is shown in Fig. 5, this unitcomprising a strip of insulating material 13 with spring elements 15,16, 17 and 18, secured thereto in any suitable manner. One method ofsecuring these springs to the insulating strip is shown in Figs. 2 and5, Fig. 5 showing at 30 depressed bolts which, in connection with thenuts 31 shown in Fig. 2, hold the respective spring elements in a rigidposition with respect to the strip 13, and to assist in this, it will,in general, be desirable to place these spring elements in grooves, asshown in the various fi res. The spring contact unit is secured rigi lyto the base plate 11 by means of screws 20 engaging with suitable nuts21 shown in Fig. 2.

The various spring members 15 to 18 project forward, and to such anextent and manner that their terminals 25, 26, 27 and 28 are suitablydisposed below the opening of the socket member 12 to make contact with.the terminals of the vacuum tube to be used In connection therewith. Inthis particular case, these terminals are shown as forming respectivelythe corners of a square, the center of which square falls upon the axisof the socket 12.

For convenience, it may be desirable to insert a plate 32 with suitablenumerals or des ignation charcters, such as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, bymeans of which the several terminals may be readily recognized one fromthe other. Around the base plate 11, or a portion thereof, is placed arim "33 of such a height as to give free motion to the spring elements.-

The socket thus far described is particularly adapted for useincombination with a form of audion tube shown in Fig. I. This tube 40comprises an evacuated vessel within which are placed a filament, a gridand a plate element. For ordinary use, such a tube requires fourterminals, two being connected with the filament, one with the grid, andone with the plate. In Fig. 1, there is shown a circular piece ofinsulating material 44 to which the four terminals are secured. The gridterminal is shown at 45, the fila ment terminals at 46 and 47, and theplate terminal at 48, and in this particular tube,

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

these terminals 45 to 48 are arranged at the with a collar 49 secured tothe bulb by any suitable sealing material, and the collar 49 is of suchdimensions as to fit snugly into the socket 12. This collar 49 with theinsulation member 44 will be spoken of as a block. On said collar 49 isplaced a small pin 50, which engages with a slot 51 in the member 12,forming'thereby a bayonet joint. The pin 50 and the slot 51 are sopositioned with respect to each other that the terminals 45 to 48 willmake contact with thevspring terminals 25 to 28, respectively, and theseterminals 45 to 48 are made of such length that a suitable contactpressure is obtained with the springs 25 to 28, respectively.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a somewhat modified structure in which, in place ofthe casting 10, there is used' a plate member 60 serving asa base, thisbein of sheet metal or other suitable fiat material. Sections 62 ofbrass tubing or other suitable metal are then secured in Fig. 4. Theinternal dimensions of the tube 62 are so chosen as to make a close fitwith the collar 49 of the vacuum tube to be used. In Fig. 3, two suchsocket members 62 are shown, but it is apparent that by increasscribedin connection with Figs. 1 and 2. Any

- under side of said base, said unit comprising desired method may beused for elevating the member suiiiciently above its support so as togive free motion to the spring contact element, and in this case, thereare shown small feet 64. If desired, these feet may consist of brasstubing, as shown in the figures, afl'ording thereby convenient means forscrewing the whole socket member to any suitable support.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vacuum tube set, the combination with a socket, of a vacuum tubehaving a block attached thereto and a plurality of electrodes secured tosaid block and arranged adjacent to each other, the socket comprising abase portion having an opening therein, a tubular portion fitting insaid opening and arising therefrom, a plurality of contact springssecured to but insulated from said base, said springs projecting underthe base portion and beneath said opening and so disposed as to makecontact w1th the respective electrodes of the vacuum tube inaprearranged manner.

2. In a vacuum tube set, thecombinationwith a socket, of a vacuumtubelhavinga .block attached thereto and a plurality of electrodessecured to said block, said socket comprising a base, a socket memberattached to said base, a contact unit secured to the a strip ofinsulation and a plurality of contact springs projecting under thesocket opening and so disposed as to make contact with the respectiveelectrodes of the vacuum 7 tube in a prearranged manner.

3. In a vacuum tube set, the combination wlth the neck of a vacuum tube.havingfonr electrodes, of asocket, the socket comprisin a base,.asocket member attached thereto, an

a contact unit, secured to the under side of i said base, said unitcomprising a strip of in- 55 sulation and four contact springsprojecting under, the socket opening and so disposed as to make contactwith the four electrodes of the tube in a prearranged manner.

t. In a vacuum tube set, thecombination with a socket, of a vacuumtubehavin a block attached thereto, a plurality of elactrodes secured tosaid block and arranged ing a base and a socket member attached thereto,a plurality of contact springs secured toibut insulated from said base,certain ends of said springs projecting under ner, the opposite ends ofsaid springs projecting beyond the lateral edges of said base,-

whereby external circuit connections may be readil made.

5. Iii a vacuum tube set, the combinationwith a socket, of a vacuum tubehaving a block attached thereto and a plurality of electrodes secured tosaid block, said socket comprising a base and a socket member attachedthereto; a contact unit secured to the underside of said base, said unitcomprising a strip of insulation and a plurality of contact springsprojecting beyond the lateral edges of said insulation and under thesocket opening, and so disposed as to make contact with the respectiveelectrodes of the vacuum tube in a prearranged manner, portions of saidsprings projecting beyond the lateral edges of said base wherebyexternal circuit connections may be readily made.

6. In a vacuum tube set, the combination with a socket, of a vacuum tubehaving a block attached thereto and a plurality of electrodes secured tosaid block, said socket comprising a base, a socket member attachedthereto, a contact unit secured to the underside of said base, said unitcomprising a strip of insulation and a plurality of contact springsprojecting under the socket opening and so disposed as to make contactwith the respective electrodes of the vacuum tube in a prearrangedmanner, said insulation having grooves therein, whereby said contactsprings may be rigidly held in place. i

7. In a vacuum tube set, the combination with a socket, of a vacuum tubehaving a block attached thereto, said block comprising a, collarsurrounding the lower portion of said tube and an insulation piecesubstantially closing the lower end of said collar and attached thereto;a plurality of electrodes attached to said insulation piece, said socketcomprisin a'base having a socket opening and a soc retmember attached tosaid base over said opening, a plurality of contact springs secured tobut insulated from said base, said springs projecting under thesocketopening and so disposed as to make contact -with said electrodes in aprearranged manunit comprising a strip of insulation and a adjacent-toeach other, sald socket comprisplurality of substantially parallelcontact,

springs attached to said insulation, said 8. .A socket adapted toreceive the elecneaasoa posed as to make contact with the respectiveelectrodes of the vacuum tube in a prearranged manner.

10. In a vacuum tube set, the combination with a socket, of a vacuumtube having a plurality of electrodes attached thereto, the

socket comprising a base portion having an 20 opening therein, a tubularportion fitting in said opening and arising therefrom, a plurality ofcontact springs secured to said base portion at a point distant fromsaid opening, said springs extending under the base 25 portion to apoint beneath said opening and so disposed as to make contact with therespective electrodes in the vacuum tube in a prearranged manner.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 30 my name this 18th day ofMay, A. D, 1916.

HERBERT .E. SHREEVE.

